Under Construction

We live in a new development and with that goes a lot of construction work. It has been amazing to watch the progress on several houses in the months since we first chose our house. The foundation next door has bloomed into a two-story house that is being painted today. Down the block and across the street a new basement has been poured and the ground leveled around it in anticipation of another project. There are three other houses that are in various stages of development along the street.

Similarly, in a church body Christians are under construction; all in various stages of completion. Some are in the early construction stage where change is evident daily. Others have a strong foundation and completed structure yet they endure times of upgrading and polishing. Nearly everyone falls somewhere along a continuum of faith growth.

I have often wished I was farther along than I am in my spiritual life. I seem to have times of ebb and flow, related directly to my spiritual life activity. Sometimes I get lazy or occupied by other tasks and I lose my focus on Jesus. Nothing seems to go quite right during those periods. The realization of what is lacking in my life always draws me back to my foundation and I begin again to pray and study and connect with my heavenly Father.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4 NIV).

Perfection is always the lofty goal I hold but it seems like such a distant desire that is unattainable. Yet, I cannot give up trying. I'll always be under construction as far as my faith goes and I must continue to forge ahead, even when I experience setbacks or challenges because the goal is so worthy.

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV).